MRC Quarterly update - MRC social event, recently certified MRCs, MRC profiles and recycling news

Master/Recycler Composter banner

FALL 2012


CONTACT

Carolyn Collopy, Master Recycler/Composter Coordinator

Email

612-596-0993


IN THIS ISSUE


IMPORTANT LINKS

MRC Program

Payback opportunities

Hours reporting form

MRC Facebook group

MRC files


Thank you for your continued efforts to help Hennepin County reduce waste and recycle more! We’re glad you’re part of our outreach and education team! 


MRC Social with author and blogger Beth Terry

Please join us on Monday, November 5 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, in the Doty Board Room for our first MRC social event. Beth Terry, author of Plastic-Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can, Too and the blog My Plastic Free Life will do a virtual reading from her book. We will also have a discussion and Q&A.

This event is a chance for MRCs to socialize, collaborate and share their project ideas. Bring a snack to share if you’d like. RSVP through the Master Recycler/Composter Facebook Group or by emailing carolyn.collopy@co.hennepin.mn.us.


Master Recycler/Composter field trips

The fourth MRC class began October 2. There are a limited number of spots open for MRC alumni who missed field trips during their classes to join the field trip on October 26 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to PPL's mattress and battery recycling facility, SET's compost site and Waste Management’s MRF.

Email carolyn.collopy@co.hennepin.mn.us  if you’d like to come.


Join the conversation on Facebook

Check out the new Hennepin County Master Recycler/Composters group on Facebook. The Facebook group is replacing the Yahoo group, which has been discontinued. Payback opportunities and other news of interest will be posted to the Facebook group. MRCs can use this group to discuss ideas, challenges and opportunities with other MRCs as well as post photos and share stories. Payback opportunities will also be posted at www.hennepin.us/mrcpayback.


Recently certified MRCs

We have 18 recently certified MRCs that completed a variety of projects to fulfill their hours:

  • Grace Anderson (spring 2011) staffed recycling and composting information tables on various Garden Club tours.
  • Cathy Bender (fall 2011) staffed recycling and composting information tables at various events.
  • Lisa Burkhart (spring 2011) helped kick off a recycling program at an apartment complex in St. Louis Park.
  • Jill Dalton (spring 2011) and Barb Stevens (fall 2011) were in charge of low-waste efforts at the Linden Hills Festival and YWCA Women’s Triathlon.
  • Holly Ellison (fall 2011) was on Boston Scientific’s Green Team and created a packaging display and a recycling toolkit for its Earth Day event.
  • Carol Engebretson (spring 2012) worked on a program for public-space recycling in Wayzata and helped make the Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity Bike Ride and the Wayzata Historical Society anniversary party low-waste events. 
  • Terry Evans (fall 2011) and Terrell Towers (fall 2011) partnered to staff an information table at the Golden Valley Farmers Market throughout July and August.
  • Lisa Genis (spring 2012) helped Open Arms of Minnesota, where she volunteers, start an improved recycling program that includes organics and plastic film.
  • Rebecca Harnik (fall 2011) played a key role in organizing and planning for Hennepin County’s new Fix-It Clinic program.
  • Heather Hint (fall 2011) and Karen Swoverland (fall 2011) started an organics-recycling program at the Kingfield Farmers Market.
  • Khadyja Johnson (fall 2011) chose a variety of options for her payback hours including staffing information tables, doing presentations and helping events go low-waste.
  • Joan Kampmeyer (fall 2011) is working with a group of MRCs in Bloomington on a variety of waste issues.
  • Christie Martin (spring 2012) staffed the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle station at the State Fair Eco Experience Pavilion.  
  • Naomi Shinoda (fall 2011) reached residents by staffing information tables at the Fulton Farmers Market and a National Night Out event. 
  • Shelby Williams (fall 2011) worked on reducing waste at her apartment complex through organics recycling, education and outreach to residents and providing assistance on waste reduction during move-in and move-out.

Congratulations to all! 

Additionally, several MRCs have volunteered more than 50 hours. Thanks to the following MRCs for their services above and beyond 30 hours:

  • Jeff Bender (73 hours)
  • Kathleen Hartman (72 hours)
  • Heather Hint (54 hours)
  • Kathy Klink (51 hours)
  • Christie Martin (76 hours)
  • Karen Swoverland (63 hours)

MRCs have logged 872 volunteer hours so far this year, and 1,079 hours have been logged since the program started in spring 2011! Don't forget to report your hours using the MRC Volunteer Hours Reporting Form.


MRC profiles

Karen Swoverland works in the information technology department at the University of Minnesota, which has a strong recycling program and, in certain areas, organics collection.

An avid recycler since high school, she saw the Master Recycler/Composter program as a way to get the word out about recycling and waste reduction, educate others, advocate for making recycling easier and have fun. She likes interacting with people and, “seeing their faces light up about trying something new.”

MRC Karen S
MRC Heather H

Karen and fellow MRC Heather Hint started an organics-recycling program at the Kingfield Farmers Market. She appreciated the opportunity to create her own payback project because “then you really have ownership over it.” The project involves staffing a recycling and composting information table every Sunday, training volunteers to monitor the waste stations and tracking the market’s diversion rate, which is typically 98 to 99 percent. Karen said that through the MRC program, “you can be at really fun events like Rock the Garden and farmers markets, have fun and have an impact at the same time.”

Jeff Bender’s favorite thing about recycling is its accessibility. Whether you’re a homeowner, apartment dweller, property manager or business owner, you can recycle, and the potential to make an impact is great. Jeff’s interest in recycling began when he worked on developing communications for Best Buy’s electronics recycling program. He now works for Do It Green! Minnesota and started a green volunteer organization for the City of Richfield called Richfield Green. The solid base of knowledge about composting and recycling that Jeff gained through the Master Recycler/Composter program helped him make Richfield Green a more robust project. Jeff has also gained experience and confidence in public speaking and outreach.  “Recycling and composting were motivating enough to make me want to do something I was apprehensive about doing,” he said. One of Jeff’s triumphs has been seeing a recycling program get started in the park where the Richfield Farmers Market is held. The park initially had no recycling bins, so Jeff would put out a recycling bin when he staffed an information table and bring the recycling home with him. Through Jeff’s gentle nudging, the park eventually set out its own recycling bins. Jeff also set up waste reduction and recycling literature racks at Wood Lake Nature Center, the Richfield Community Center, City Hall and Augsburg Park Library, refilling them as needed.  Of the MRC program, Jeff says, “It’s been a really good experience, and I’m glad I did it.”

Carrie Sandgren came to the Master Recycler/Composter program “wondering if I could compost better and wondering if I was recycling everything I could.” She says she loved the program: “It was well organized, every time there were interesting speakers, and I loved all the field trips. I felt like I was really proud to live in Hennepin County.” Carrie has undertaken an independent payback project at Mt. Olivet Church in Minneapolis, which has about 13,500 members. Her project involves improving the church’s recycling program and starting organics collection. To implement the project, she brought together the church’s waste hauler and food staff to discuss waste-diversion options, and they visited Burroughs Community School and St. Joan of Arc Church to learn about their organics recycling programs. The church has since redone its driveway to accommodate an organics dumpster and to create space for a rain garden. Organics collection is expected to reduce the church’s trash hauling bill, and the church is planning to replace disposable cups with reusable mugs. Carrie said the MRC program helped her feel more knowledgeable and gave her greater awareness of waste reduction and recycling.


Recycle Half event display materials available

Recycle Half event display

Hennepin County is encouraging people to recycle more and help us meet our goal of recycling half of the waste generated in Hennepin County by 2015 through the Great Hennepin County Recycle Half Challenge.

Display materials are available to promote and engage people in the campaign at events. The Recycle Half Event Display includes:

  • Poster displays
  • Do you know what to throw? Interactive recyclables display
  • Take the Recycle Half Challenge pledge cards and stickers
  • Event display and engagement instructions

To request the Recycle Half Event Display for an upcoming event or outreach activity, email Alisa Reckinger or call 612-348-4788.


Recycling and MRCs in the news

St. Louis Park is looking to add curbside composting service to all single-family homes.

Minneapolis is starting to transition to city-wide one-sort recycling this fall. Visit www.minneapolismn.gov/onesort for more information. Also see new stories in MinnPost and on Kare11.

MRC Kathleen Hartman was recently recognized as an Environmental Champion in the City of Plymouth's Environmental Extra

MRC Renae Kuehl was featured on Patch.com for her volunteer work at the State Fair.